Ultra Running is hitting its stride: New South End store and trail running group are coming soon

But Nathan Leehman, owner of Ultra Running Company, is building community — and the business — a little differently.

Ultra just celebrated its two-year anniversary. Year three will be a big one: It’s opening a South End store early next year and starting a monthly trail run next week. Ultra also plans to host more speakers and special events in 2016 at its Myers Park store off Providence Road.

“We’re starting to be discovered by the more casual runner, which we get really excited about. Those are the people who don’t have bad habits yet and who we can really sit down with and help them run in a very healthy manner,” Leehman said. “That’s really the reason we opened. We didn’t feel like there was any place in town that focused on how people run. There’s a right way to run but people haven’t talked about that before.”

How has Ultra managed to thrive in a market that seems to have no shortage of running supply stores?

For one, they aren’t going after the crowded middle.

“If you were to ask anyone outside our store, I think they would say (our target is) half marathoners and up. For us we think it’s just as important to have first-time runners and exercise walkers and people who are just getting off the couch,” Leehman said. “If there’s one place we don’t focus as much it’s maybe a 5K PR like an age group runner, who just wants to go out and run fast and doesn’t care if they’re hurt the next month. We really focus on the two ends: People who are running a little bit farther and people who have never run before. That’s really where we think our sweet spot is.”

How Ultra’s grown

Ultra is also fanatical about customer service. I know that sounds like a marketing line, but it’s true. Their reviews on sites like Facebook, Yelp and Google are raves for a reason.

I almost singlehandedly credit Ultra Running’s Jeff Dean with helping me improve my marathon time by 21 minutes this year. (Seriously, go see him.)

Not only do employees take the time to analyze your gait and find the best shoes for you, they talk to you about your overall goals. The shoes I bought helped, but it was the free nutrition advice that proved priceless for me.

Ultra also stocks products that are hard to find but growing in demand. Take their colorful INKnBURN clothes or their wide assortment of HOKA ONE ONE and Altra running shoes. They’re among the largest single-store customers for these in the country.

You won’t find Nikes there, but you will find popular Sauconys, which I bought most recently. 

Plus, they stock fresh flowers in their bathrooms. Leehman said he learned this tip from his days working for tire company Michelin.

The staff has serious credentials, too. Leehman runs ultra marathons — these days usually four 100-mile races a year.

Building community 

The 2,000-square-foot South End store will open in Camden Gallery near the light rail, likely in the first quarter of 2016. There’s not a lot of overlap with current customers, and all those apartments provide an upwardly mobile clientele that’s attractive for Ultra.

Running is also becoming part of the culture in South End because of weekly runs at breweries including Triple C and Lenny Boy. “Breweries have made it OK to run,” Leehman said.

The surfeit of those types of organized runs is largely why he decided to start a trail running group. Most months it will be held on Saturdays, though it will kick off Sunday, December 27 on Back Yard Trail near Marion Diehl Park.

“We want to make sure that it’s adding value and that we’re not just doing a ‘me too,’” Leehman said. “We’re not holding a run club for them to buy some goos. We’re holding a run club so they can run better — in this case on trails.”

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